This invention relates to an external operation device that is suitable as a game controller connected to a game machine main unit.
Conventionally, with game controllers the game is played while communicating with the game machine main unit by sending the operation information input from the user and informing the user by receiving feedback information sent from the game machine main unit. The game controller has a controller main unit as an operation means, a cable as a data transmission means, and a connector for connecting the cable to the game machine main unit, and data is exchanged in sequence through the cable and connector.
A conventional cable cross-sectional view is shown in FIG. 1. This cable has multiple electrically conductive wires 1A-1H for conveying electrical signals; among them, electrical conductive wire 1A is arranged on the central axis of the cable, and electrically conductive wires 1B-1G are arranged around it so as to be adjacent to this electrically conductive wire 1A. The periphery of these electrically conductive wires 1B-1G is covered with electrically conductive wire 1H, and the periphery of electrically conductive wire 1H is covered by vinyl cover 1I, thereby forming a rodlike shape.
The periphery of each of electrically conductive wires 1A-1G is covered with an insulating substance, preventing them from coming into contact with each other and shorting. The cable is covered with mesh-woven electrically conductive wire 1H that gives the periphery of electrically conductive wires 1A-1G a cylindrical shape, and its periphery in turn is covered with vinyl cover 1I, which is an insulating substance, thereby protecting the interior of cable from external physical forces and electromagnetic-wave noise.
A serial communication method for avoiding the effects due to the noise from outside is adopted as the communication method between the game machine main unit and the controller main unit. Generally with a serial communication method, in many cases one electrically conductive wire each is provided for sending and receiving data, and three electrically conductive wires are provided for controlling the communication. Therefore in the cable, electrically conductive wires 1A and 1B are taken as electrically conductive wires for sending and receiving data, and electrically conductive wires 1C-1E are taken as electrically conductive wires for controlling the communication.
Electrically conductive wire 1A is an electrically conductive wire for transmitting data Rxc3x97D from the controller main unit to the game machine main unit, and electrically conductive wire 1B is an electrically conductive wire for transmitting data Txc3x97D from the game machine main unit to the controller main unit. Electrically conductive wire 1C is an electrically conductive wire for transmitting communication standard clock SCK from the game machine main unit to the controller main unit, electrically conductive wire 1D is an electrically conductive wire for transmitting communication enable signal DTR from the game machine main unit to the controller main unit, and electrically conductive wire 1E is an electrically conductive wire for transmitting communication completion signal DSR from the controller main unit to the game machine main unit.
Electrically conductive wire 1F is an electrically conductive wire for an 8-V power source that operates the lamps, etc. formed on the controller main unit, electrically conductive wire 1G is an electrically conductive wire for power source Vcc that determines the signal level of logical level xe2x80x9c1,xe2x80x9d and electrically conductive wire 1H is an electrically conductive wire for grounding line GND that determines the signal level of logical level xe2x80x9c0.xe2x80x9d
In cables such as shown in FIG. 1, direct current flows in electrically conductive wires 1F-1H, while high-frequency alternating current flows in electrically conductive wires 1A-1E. Therefore, no noise due to electromagnetic waves (hereafter called electromagnetic-wave noise) arises from electrically conductive wires 1F-1H, but electromagnetic-wave noise does arise from electrically conductive wires 1A-1E. A number of adverse effects have been pointed out concerning this noise, and the upper limit for the level of its occurrence is strictly prescribed by domestic and international standards.
For this reason, in such cables the electromagnetic-wave noise is reduced by covering the periphery of electrically conductive wires 1A-1E with mesh-woven electrically conductive wire 1H, and in turn covering the periphery of electrically conductive wire 1H with vinyl cover 1I, which is made of an insulating substance. However, because this is unable to sufficiently reduce the electromagnetic-wave noise, in general the generation of electromagnetic-wave noise is avoided by putting a noise shield on cable 1.
The level of occurrence of electromagnetic-wave noise increases as the frequency increases but the capacity of a noise shield is limited, and it is unable to suppress electromagnetic-wave noise above a certain level. Therefore even if cable 1 is fitted with a noise shield, as the frequency of the alternating current flowing in electrically conductive wires 1A-1E increases and electromagnetic-wave noise beyond a certain level is generated, the limit of the noise shield is exceeded, and electromagnetic-wave noise can no longer be suppressed.
Thus there has been the problem that in order to prevent the generation of electromagnetic-wave noise in cable 1, one must limit the frequency of the electric current, that is, the communication speed, and high-speed communication cannot be done. Because the current flowing in electrically conductive wires 1A-1H becomes attenuated as said electrically conductive wires 1A-1H become longer, there has been the problem that there is a limit to the length of electrically conductive wires 1A-1H, that is, of cable 1.
This invention provides an external operation device that provides communication at higher speed than was previously available.
The invention provides an operation device which converts electrical signals of a transmission object input in accordance with operation by the user to optical signals by an internal electro-optical signal converter and outputs the optical signals to the operation object. Optical signals transmitted from the operation object are converted to electrical signals by the electro-optical signal converter which outputs the signals to the outside information in accordance with the electrical signals. An optical fiber, one end of which is attached to the operation device transmits optical signals between the operation device and the operation object. A connection means is provided on the other end of the optical fiber and is detachably connected to the operation object which converts optical signals transmitted from the operation device via the optical fiber to electrical signals by an internal electro-optical signal converter and outputs the electrical signals to the operation object, and converts electrical signals supplied from the operation object to optical signals by the electro-optical signal converter and outputs the optical signals to the operation device.
By connecting the operation device to the operation object via an optical fiber and during communication, converting the electrical signals of the transmission object to optical signals and transmitting the optical signals via the optical fiber, electromagnetic-wave noise during communication is not generated, and there is no need to limit the frequency of the optical signals. That is, the communication speed, as there would be if the-operation means were connected to the operation object via electrically conductive wires.